Pattern for Growth

In Washington, Secretary of War Stimson announced a pattern for the Air Forces' future. By next June, said he, the Air Forces will be close to triple the size it was last June. It will have 400,000 flying cadets and enlisted men (plus some 40,000 officers), will have planes for its pilots, who by that time should total 25,000.

Added Mr. Stimson: "Subsequent expansion, possibly to the 500,000 level, is possible beyond that date."

When World War II's urgency first struck the country, after the fall of France, the Air Forces (then the Air Corps) had only 3,322 officers, 45,914 enlisted men. By last June its strength had been roughly tripled (10,697 officers, 126,666 enlisted men). The number of cadets in flying training had risen from 1,894 to 8,707, and the Air Corps was working with might & main to train flyers at the rate of 12,000 a year.

Today the Air Forces is working up to a rate of 30,000 new flyers a year, is training its fledglings in 80 civilian and military schools. At 38 more schools it is training gunners, navigators, bombardiers as well as shoals of needed mechanics, radiomen, etc. From schools like Illinois' Chanute Field (enrollment 20,000) and Colorado's Lowry Field (10,000) the Air Forces expects 100,000 technicians a year.

When it has grown to 400,000 by next summer, its 54 tactical groups (two or more squadrons each) will have been expanded to 84. The expanded Air Forces will have a heavy accent on youth. Youngsters who were commissioned only two years ago will find themselves commanding squadrons, wearing major's leaves.

At 400,000, the Air Forces will be a long way short of the strength of Adolf Hitler's Luftwaffe (1,000,000). But by that time personnel production will be grinding at top speed. The only limit to further expansion will be the supply of young men willing and able to fly and service military airplanes.

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